Angel chuckled. “Yeah, I would’ve never guessed he was a fat ass.”

Sarah frowned but was glad Angel wasn’t being uptight about it. Angel leaned over and kissed her sweetly. It amazed her how happy it made her just being with him.

He kissed her some more and then it came, “Babe, I know he’s your friend. And I’m gonna try my damndest to be as understanding about this as I can, but I need to know everything. I can’t have you keeping things from me, again, especially when it comes to him. So, if he ever calls you, I don’t need to know everything you two talk about, I just don’t want you keeping it from me.”

He must’ve seen something in her expression, or felt her tense up because he stopped then asked, “What?”

“You want me to tell you every time he calls?”

Angel’s eyes narrowed, “How often does he call, Sarah?”

Just like that, the complete honesty thing went out the window. Sarah knew it was wrong but with that look in his eyes and the tone of his voice there was no way the truth was going fly here. Telling him their calls were daily was out of the question. “Well, he doesn’t do the calling every time, but we talk …a few times a week.”

Sarah saw Angel trying to stay poised. He rolled his neck like he always did as if that would somehow release the tension. As far as she knew it never worked.

“I’ll work on it,” she added quickly.

“What does that mean? I’ll work on it? Is it really that big a sacrifice?”

“No, but…you just don’t understand-”

“I’m trying to,” he laid his head back, putting his hand behind his head.

Sarah lifted herself onto her elbow. “Is once a week too much?”

He stared at her but said nothing and now it was her turn to do the kissing. She leaned over and pecked his lips, then kissed the dimple that formed on his cheek with his furrowed expression.

He put his free hand behind her neck. “Sarah, Babe, I don’t want you to think I’m being insensitive. I get he’s your long time friend and all. It’s just gonna take me some time to get used to this.”

Sarah kissed him a little longer this time. “I know it is. We’ll make this work. We have to ‘cause I don’t want to be apart from you ever again.”

Angel smiled, and pulled her to him with both arms now. “I love hearing you say stuff like that,” He kissed her long and deep then stopped to add. “And yeah, I wanna know every time you talk to him.”

Sarah was just going to have to cut down on the talks with Sydney because lying to Angel was a thing of the past. She wouldn’t be making that mistake again. They made love again and then Angel took Sarah home without another word about Sydney.

*

Angel’s heart almost stopped when Sarah called him crying. He couldn’t make out a word she was saying. But then he heard her laugh in the midst of all the crying. “She’s getting out the day after tomorrow!”

For weeks they’d been waiting on the date and finally Sarah’s mom was being released from jail. Angel couldn’t be happier. Sarah’s mom would be there for her during the coach’s trial.

“I told you, baby, believe.” It was late in the evening and a school night but they still stayed up and talked. At first Sarah had the insane idea that she was going to Arizona alone to pick up her mom. Like she had when they were broken up. There was no way Angel was going to let that happen.

Sarah’s aunt couldn’t take the day off on such short notice so Angel made arrangements and drove Sarah himself. Her mom wasn’t being released until late in the afternoon and Sarah suggested they stop at Sydney’s to visit for a little bit, said Sydney had invited them. Angel wasn’t exactly looking forward to it but for Sarah’s sake he pretended to be fine with it.

When they reached Syd’s place Sarah turned to him, “You sure you’re okay with this?”

Not really but he may as well get it over it. As far as he was concerned, Sarah was a part of his life for good now, so if Sydney was part of hers he had to get used to this. “Yep, I’m good.”

She leaned over and kissed him before getting out of the car. Angel walked around and met her at the sidewalk. Sydney was already standing on his porch with a blonde girl.

He met them at the bottom of the porch steps, greeted Angel first and introduced him to his girlfriend Carina. Then he turned and greeted Sarah.

“I missed you, Lynni.”

Sarah let go of Angel’s hand to hug him. “I missed you too.”

Angel watched as Sydney embraced her long and hard. “God, you look good.”

He focused on not grinding his teeth too hard and tried not to frown. Sydney looked up and met Angel’s eyes even as he still held Sarah. “I guess happiness’ll do that to you huh?”

Sydney’s mom made them lunch and they ate in the backyard under the patio. Sarah and Sydney talked about the track team she’d left behind in Arizona and she filled him in on the details of her mother’s early release. Angel glanced at Carina who, like him, hadn’t said very much, and wondered if she was as unsettled about their relationship as he was.

They didn’t stay too long, and Angel guessed it was because Sarah sensed his discomfort even though he did his best to try not to cringe every time Sydney called Sarah, Lynni.

Sydney hugged her just as hard when he said goodbye. This time Angel turned away casually, not wanting to see the way Syd’s hands caressed her back. He was thankful neither professed their love for one another or he may have snapped.